CRA Inc

6 Jul 04 @ 4:02 pm

Creating A Coaching Culture

Coaching leadership is a recent trend in organizations that requires executives to take a more hands-on approach to employee development, including their own. A recent Fast Company article suggests that To Help Others Develop, Start With Yourself.

The article explains that the Top 20 Companies For Leaders tend to crank out effective leaders because they have senior executives who are actively involved in the coaching process (and open about it). Here’s what General Mills (#18 on the list) CEO Steve Sanger recently told 90 of his colleagues:

As you all know, last year my team told me that I needed to do a better job of coaching my direct reports. I just reviewed my 360-degree feedback. I have been working on becoming a better coach for the past year or so. I’m still not doing quite as well as I want, but I’m getting a lot better. My coworkers have been helping me improve. Another thing that I feel good about is the fact that my scores on ‘effectively responds to feedback’ are so high this year.

According to many execs, what they value most about the coaching process is the honest feedback that results—something they rarely find in their other professional relationships. So, put yourself out there as a “work in progress.” And don’t be surprised if coaching starts to spread down and across the organization to help your employees develop into more effective contributors.

posted in category(s): Points of Interest